Charlottesville Insurance Agent and Disaster Relief

Whether due to a family vacation or routine business travel, we all have times when we are away from our homes for an extended period of time.  And, if you are like me, you probably leave a spare key with a trusted neighbor or family member so they can collect your mail, water your plants, or feed your pets.

And although the possibility is remote, an accidental loss from sources like a broken pipe may occur while you are away from home.  Especially from water losses, it is extremely important that these issues are immediately addressed so that they do not get worse and cause even more damage.

By simply adding your insurance agent or insurance claims department phone number to your emergency phone list, will help in getting this matter started or even completed before you return from your vacation.  Can you imagine coming home to find out that your neighbor not only watered your plants, but shut off the valve to your hot water heater, contacted your claims department, had ServiceMaster come in to start drying your floor and subfloor and you know this because a check for $4000 is sitting on your breakfast counter.  Someone is getting more than a gift card to the Olive Garden.

Although the above is an extreme and would probably only work in the movies.  The idea of having the correct information at your fingertips is what I am stressing.  You can play the devil’s advocate, and say that a non resident member is making claims against your homeowners policy.  And instead of giving that Olive Garden gift certificate you are slapping them with a lawsuit.  But we all know that the trusted neighbor or family member will hopefully do the first step in shutting off the water and then call you.  How many of us have our insurance agent on speed dial?  Wouldn’t it be nice to get a call from the trusted neighbor, get the bad news, and then ask them for the number to the Matthew Taylor Insurance Agency on your emergency phone list?